logo logo logo logo

News / Obituaries / Southampton Press / 1469265

Kenneth Wilson Of Eastport Dies At Age 74

author on Jan 25, 2011

Kenneth L. Wilson

Kenneth Lockwood Wilson, a lifelong resident of Eastport, died on Tuesday, January 18, at Southampton Hospital. He was 74.

Mr. Wilson was born on December 14, 1936, to Roy T. Wilson, and Frances Brown Albin, both of whom predeceased him. He enlisted in the U.S. Army after graduating from Eastport High School. He was stationed in Germany for two years and served four years in the U.S. Coast Guard Reserve. A natural athlete, he received many awards for his excellence on the basketball court and baseball field, and was active for many years on town softball and basketball leagues. Once, on a bowling league, he was just point short of a perfect game, bowling a 299. He was a coach for minor league and Little League baseball for many years.

Mr. Wilson was a member of the Eastport Fire Department for 50 years, serving as lieutenant with the Mercury Hose Company from 1963 to 1967; as commissioner from 1976 to 1985; and trustee in 1993. He was a member of the notable drill team with the department in the 70s. He also had a part in saving two young children from drowning, retrieving them through a break in the ice at the Eastport pond. He was Fireman of the Year for 1968 and coached the Junior Fire Department tournament team for many years.

Mr. Wilson was employed as a splicing technician with the Verizon Telephone Company and retired after 27 years of service. He was an avid fisherman and loved nature, especially bird watching. His greatest legacy, survivors said, was his love for his family.

He is survived by his wife of 53 years, Arlene, also a lifelong resident of Eastport; two sons, Keith M. Wilson of Georgia and Mark A. Wilson and his wife Brigitte of Virginia; five grandchildren, Christa, Kenneth, Adam, Noah, and Luke; and a great-grandson, Connell. He is also survived by his sisters, Shirley Jacobs and Ruth Wilson, both of Eastport; a brother Richard and his wife Elizabeth of Westhampton and Florida; and many nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by a sister, Kathryn Skarka; and a brother, Roy Wilson.

Funeral services were private. Arrangements were under the direction of the Follett and Werner Funeral Home in Westhampton Beach.

The family would appreciate memorial donations to a favorite charity.

You May Also Like:

Amazing Day

On behalf of the Village of Southampton Commission on Veterans Patriotic Events, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to the following individuals and groups who helped make this year’s Veterans Day celebration a success: Our veterans, volunteers and donors; Emily Paccasassi, for singing the national anthem; the Southampton High School Chorus and Band and James Tartaglia, its director; our guest speaker, Vietnam veteran nurse Joan Furey, who earned a Bronze Star for her service in Vietnam in 1968; the Southampton Village Police Department, EMTs, the Village Department of Public Works, and the fire department for their presence and ... 17 Nov 2025 by Staff Writer

Need To Adapt

I’m not typically keen on dueling Letters to the Editor, but in my best Inigo Montoya voice, my response to Highway Superintendent Charles McArdle is: “I did not say what you think I said” [“Oversight Failure,” Letters, November 13]. Let me try again by melding our two points of view: If governments at all levels continue to ignore necessary infrastructure maintenance while our planet continues to warm, expect the kinds of things that happened at Sunrise Highway to happen with more frequency. The combination of more intense storms with shoddy maintenance programs will cause more damage and impact on our ... by Staff Writer

WordHampton Picks Up Awards

WordHampton Public Relations was recently the recipient of several MarCom awards acknowledging the firm’s work ... by Staff Writer

Peconic Bay Medical Center Earns Top Safety Award

Peconic Bay Medical Center has earned an “A” Hospital Safety Grade from The Leapfrog Group for fall 2025, recognizing the hospital’s consistent excellence in patient safety. “This recognition affirms the exceptional work of our entire PBMC team in maintaining a culture of safety, compassion and clinical excellence,” said Amy Loeb, president of PBMC. “Every member of our staff, from physicians and nurses to support teams, plays a vital role in delivering care that our patients can trust. As our hospital continues to expand to meet the growing needs of the residents on the East End, we remain focused on ensuring ... by Staff Writer

Police Ask for Help Locating Missing Man Last Seen in Hampton Bays

Southampton Town Police are asking for the public’s help to locate a missing man last ... by Staff Writer

'Lights Out! Glow Night' at SYS on December 5

The Southampton Youth Bureau will hold Lights Out! Glow Night, an evening of glow-in-the-dark sports, on Friday, December 5, from 7:30 to 10 p.m. at Southampton Youth Services, 1370A Majors Path, Southampton. The illuminated experience will feature games like glow-in-the-dark basketball, Capture the Flag, soccer, volleyball and more. The event is open to students in grades six through 12. Participants are encouraged to wear bright white or neon clothing to glow under the UV black lights. Admission is $10 per person. Transportation is available from select locations, but preregistration is required to ride the bus. For more information or to ... by Staff Writer

Wasted Dollars

At the end of the Southampton Village Board’s November 13 meeting, Mayor Bill Manger announced that he wants to use taxpayer money to build a village “app” listing local sites, such as the World War I monument and the First Presbyterian Church. This sounds like satire, but it’s not. Not only is this unnecessary, it shows a complete misunderstanding of what apps are for and how government should spend public funds. An app that shows people where the World War I monument is already exists. It’s called Google Maps. It’s free, it’s accurate, it’s updated in real time — and ... by Staff Writer

Hampton Bays Civic Association Meeting Is Set

The Hampton Bays Civic Association will meet on Monday, November 24, at the Hampton Bays Community Center on Ponquogue Avenue. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. and the meeting will start at 7 p.m. The guest speakers will be Stephanie McEvoy, director of the Hampton Bays Library; Barbara Skelley, a Hampton Bays Library trustee; and Southampton Town Councilmember Rick Martel. McEvoy and Skelley will talk about the library, its mission and programs. Martel will provide an update on town government as it pertains to Hampton Bays. The meeting is open to the public. For more information, go to hbcivic.org. by Staff Writer

Around the Post Pickleball Dinner at Villa Paul Is December 12

The second annual Around the Post Pickleball Dinner is set for Friday, December 12, at Villa Paul Restaurant in Hampton Bays at 7 p.m. The buffet dinner in the restaurant’s private dining room is $55 per person and includes the meal, tax and tip. Drinks are not included, but may be purchased separately. Those interested in attending should email Scott Green at scottgreen@optonline.net to confirm their spot. While open to anyone who appreciates the sport of pickleball, space is limited to 48 guests. by Staff Writer

Scourge Continues

Scourge: a person or thing that causes great suffering, affliction or misery. The latest from our local government is that they’re not going to ban gas-powered leaf blowers, because they can’t enforce the law. This is backward thinking. First comes the law, and then comes enforcement. As it is now, my neighbors can use that blower nine hours a day, six days a week. And they do. And I have no rights. If there was a law, I would have the right to tell them that what they were doing was unlawful, and I would have the law on my ... by Staff Writer